Anti-graft agency recovers ₦942 million in fraudulent salaries across 50 federal MDAs.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered 908 suspected ghost workers across at least 50 Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies, recovering about ₦942 million allegedly paid as fraudulent salaries.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), disclosed the findings during an investigation into payroll fraud in federal institutions, revealing that the Nigeria Police Force recorded the highest number of suspected fake workers.
According to Aliyu, 570 suspected ghost workers were identified within the police payroll, while the National Water Resources Authority had 80. The Federal Ministry of Works recorded 56 suspected fake workers, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24 and the Ministry of Defence with 19.
The Federal Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment each recorded 17 suspected fake workers, while the Federal Ministry of Health had 15. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation accounted for 12 cases.
Aliyu explained that ghost workers are fictitious names fraudulently inserted into government payroll systems to receive salaries. He revealed that investigators uncovered a case involving an official who allegedly placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also collecting the salaries of 12 workers.
The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Interior were also affected by the payroll fraud, although the ICPC did not disclose the number of suspected fake workers discovered in both institutions.
The commission said the ongoing payroll verification exercise is aimed at strengthening accountability and eliminating corruption in the Federal Government’s wage system.